Sunday, April 11, 2004

She's not a hairball after all.

When I started my journal I thought receiving comments from people would prove interesting, and it has. But, I think one of the greatest rewards is what I am learning from reading other people’s journals.

 

Early on, I read an entry by a very talented woman, who often pens with tongue in cheek. So when I read it, I wasn’t sure if I should take it seriously, or not. She wrote of her family heirlooms and how her mother was distraught to only have two of a particular item when she had three children and how in the world would she decide to whom to leave these items.

As I read on, I was blown away that the heirlooms she spoke of were hairballs!! Yup, you read it right. Hairballs! But, not just your run of the mill kind hacked up daily by your feline, but a cow’s hairball. I was going to Texas to see my mom and her husband, so I offered to peruse the fields for any that the cows might have left behind to complete the set so RBUSH’s mom could rest easy.

I looked high and low. I even ventured to turn over a cow patty or two. But, not one hairball did I find. My stepfather has had cattle all his life. So, I thought maybe I should ask him where I could find one of these prized possessions. He looked at me like I had lost my mind. “A hairball!” “I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

 

I began to wonder if it wasn’t the type of cows they have in Texas that was the problem. They sure do look different then the milk cows that I remembered from when I lived in Pennsylvania. However, Texas cattle are a lot more hairy than those black and white spotted things I used to smell at the farm down the hill from us in PA.

 

Time goes by and I forget about my search for the elusive hairball. Then one day, I am home, sick with the flu. I’m watching a program and to my amazement they have a guest on that is a curator of a museum. She has in her possession, a trichobezoar. A tricha who? A trichobezoar, a cow’s hairball.  It looks like a small ball used to play Candlestick Bowling. It’s dark brown and about the size of a softball. It has a glossy brown smooth outer layer and the center is a mass of tightly compacted hair.

 

I decided to look up the museum online and found all kinds of other sights that mentioned hairballs. Apparently, there has been quite a controversy brewing over who actually possesses the world’s largest hairball. There’s a guy in Colorado that has one that measures 43.3 inches around! He even does “Hairball Art.” He works at a beef plant so he has a steady stream of hairballs. The smaller ones he paints faces and scenery on and sells them for $50 each.  

 

So, RBUSH is not hairball after all and I have finally located where her mother can get another one to add to the family treasure chest. It’s in Sterling, Colorado. See a guy there named Mike.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is too funny.  And what a good pal you are to go to all that trouble to find a hairball...

Anonymous said...

Wow!  What a wealth of knowledge you are!  Learn something new every day....

Anonymous said...

I had no idea....LOL!

That was indeed interesting and very unique!

Happy Easter, Penny

Anonymous said...

Ummm...ewww.   Why in the world would anybody want a hairball?   LOL  Oh well...to each his own, I say!  

I've finally gotten caught up on your journal, Robbie.  I'm sorry it's taken me so long!  I left several comments on older entries, and really enjoyed reading your journal, as usual!  

Anonymous said...

Robbie, I'm virtually speechless. Your research was far more extensive than my own. You slay me! This may be the happiest Easter ever! I'm calling Mike first thing in the morning.

Anonymous said...

2 words for you:  ooh, yuck.  Kristi

Anonymous said...

Smiles-research will lead down many a path-even a "hairball" one...

Anonymous said...

This is why I love J-Land!  Variety of the most interesting type!  You know, I grew up raising cattle for 4-H and never before had heard of a cow's hairball!  THIS is why your journal is THE place to be, Girl!  Hapy writing (yes, you are STILL  a writer).  :)

JLReynolds
http://journals.aol.com/jlreynolds/LisasOutLookonLife

Anonymous said...

LOL!
I have never heard of such a thing either...too funny.

prized possessions eh?  hmmmm.  to each it's own I guess :)
great entry krobbie :)

Anonymous said...

Robbie, that`s great!   Info to digest! [well maybe not digest!]   LOl
Vince

Anonymous said...

Congrats on being an editors pick of the week. Keep up the good work, the journal looks great. If you have a chance, check out my journal, by clicking on my screen name

Anonymous said...

I was distracted by the photo, thinking I had stumbled on to one of "those" premium sites. Whew!
On a lighter note, this just goes to show that you CAN sell nearly anything on eBay. :}

Anonymous said...

I can't seem to find images of the hairballs.  Maybe I'm not scrolling low enough in the links.  Trippy that hairballs are compaired to candlestick bowling balls.  Have you ever seen them?  I used to do that kind of bowling all the time.  They've never heard of it out here.  Just the thought that some guy profits from these gross-sounding things proves, there's something for everyone!  lol

Anonymous said...

Well...someone's got to do it! LOL. How great is that! LOL. What a tickle. Take care...Carly :)

Anonymous said...

Great journal!
It made me laugh.
Keep writing and I will visit often. I live in hairball heaven...No wait..It's DustBall Heaven.

Mary Louise Of Watching My Sister...Disappear

http://beta.journals.aol.com/mlrhjeh/WatchingMySisterDisappear

Anonymous said...

Need to know more about trichobezoars? Your entry inspired a spark of memory in me: http://journals.aol.com/stephweiss/SmallAdventures/entries/554

Anonymous said...

hairball eh?
anyway< i havent been online in a while, congrats on making top 5!
woo hoo! party for you!
Kathleen

Anonymous said...

Interesting entry :]

Anonymous said...

Cow hairballs.. Wow, you just never know how much knowledge you're going to gain by reading journals (ahem, I think.)  Honestly, I grew up around cows & never heard of this before.  Jimmeny Cricket!- you'd think with four stomachs they wouldn't ever have to spit anything back up!  ¤Holly

Anonymous said...

Bizarre.  That's about the only appropriate word I can think of.  LOL  ?????

Anonymous said...

That is the most bizarre thing I've heard in a long time.  People actually collect those things?  Well, cows are hairy animals.  I suppose after a while, you run out of ideas what to do with the hair, lol.